Deal for two North Sea platforms pits four ‘major’ fabricators against each other

ASX-listed Hartshead Resources NL has confirmed the issuance of the invitation to tender (ITT) for two platforms destined for Phase I gas development project in the UK North Sea. This enables four suppliers to submit bids for the engineering, procurement, installation, and commissioning (EPIC) contract for these platforms.

According to Hartshead Resources, four “pre-qualified, major” suppliers have been given the opportunity to bid for the Anning and Somerville Southern North Sea gas field production platforms’ EPIC deal. The firm did not disclose the names of these suppliers.

“The ITT has gone out to four major, reputable fabricators with proven track records that pre-qualified through the HHR procurement process and marks a significant step forward in the journey towards first gas from the company’s UK Southern Gas Basin assets,” outlined the company.

Hartshead underscores that these platforms will play “a pivotal role” in establishing the firm as a gas production player, enabling it to tap into the established natural gas reserves in the license area and support the UK on its journey towards net-zero.

Chris Lewis, CEO of Hartshead, commented: “I am thrilled to announce the issuance of the invitation to tender for the Anning and Sommerville Southern North Sea gas field production platforms. This is a significant advancement for Hartshead in progressing towards field development.

“We have carefully selected four reputable fabricators with proven track records to participate in the ITT process and we look forward to a rigorous evaluation process over the coming months, leading to the selection of a partner who will provide the EPIC service for the platforms.”

This comes after a field development plan (FDP) for the Anning and Somerville gas field project was submitted to the North Sea Transition Authority on Wednesday, 21 June 2023. The field development consists of two unmanned platforms with gas transportation via a pipeline and a subsea tie-in to the offtake route.

Following a recently completed farm-in deal, Viaro Energy’s RockRose holds a 60 per cent working interest in production licence P.2607, which includes the Anning and Somerville fields, while Hartshead has a 40 per cent stake. 

The FID for the project is anticipated in 3Q 2023 with six production wells planned. These are forecast to come on stream in early 2025 at gross peak production rates of 140 mmcfd.